DEFINITION OF A COLORECTAL SURGEON

A Colon and Rectal surgeon is someone who has gone through a dedicated period of general surgical training (6 years) followed by a period of Colorectal surgical research of a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 2 years. He/She should have spent a sabattical for a short period abroad preferably in North America in a leading centre of excellence in the speciality of their interest. In the future it will hopefully be mandatory for all Colorectal surgeons to secure a qualification in Colorectal surgery. At the present time, we have the EBSQ (Coloproctology) which is a European qualification in coloproctology. Few people have taken it in UK, because of the Euro-UK wall. This is soon crumbling and more and more people are taking this exam. I hope to take this exam soon although I have been a consultant now for a couple of years. I feel that it is nice to be tested in your area of special interest from time to time.   I personally, feel that the American system is something to emulate. Nobody who is a consultant is perfect. All have to be tested with GMC revalidation and 5 yearly exams in their specialty, as well as a peer review of their performance. Only if someone can withstand the stress of going through all this can they call themselves a Colorectal surgeon. In other words you are looking at a Colorectal surgeon who is a doctor, very stressed out, very likely to die well before his prime!!!!